FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT ABERCROMBIE FITCH - PAGE 3

A 23-year-old Chicago woman recently was arrested after she was accused of trying to buy clothing with a worthless check at Abercrombie & Fitch, 164 Oakbrook Center, police said. Sabrina N. Junior of the 6200 block of South Kenwood Avenue was charged with forgery and possession of fictitious identification, both felonies, police said.

Three girls recently were arrested after being accused of removing theft sensors from clothing valued at $232 at Abercrombie & Fitch, 449 Oakbrook Center, police said. A 6th grader and a 5th grader from Clarendon Hills and a 6th grader from Hinsdale were charged with retail theft and criminal damage to property, police said.

A Lake Forest man was arrested July 5 after he allegedly stole a bottle of after-shave lotion, which was valued at $32, from Abercrombie &Fitch in Hawthorn Center Mall. Kevin E. Shuff, 18, of the 1400 block of Old Mill Road, was charged with retail theft.

An 18-year-old Romeoville man was arrested recently after he was accused of trying to buy clothing valued at $182 with a forged gift certificate at Abercrombie & Fitch, 720 Stratford Square, police said. Darin Rajan of the 100 block of Amberleigh Drive was charged with felony forgery.

Abercrombie & Fitch, which has been accused of using racy ads and discriminatory mottos to promote its trendy apparel to children and young adults, can add gymnasts to the list of offended groups. USA Gymnastics officials want a boycott of the company's apparel because of a T-shirt it's selling for $24.50 that depicts a male gymnast with the slogan "L is for Loser." In a letter written to Abercrombie Chief Executive Officer Michael Jeffries, USA Gymnastics President Bob Colarossi said he is "seeking the immediate removal of the item" from stores.

Services for Lawrence F. Kerr, 73, an Elmhurst resident, will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday in the chapel at 567 South Spring Rd., Elmhurst. Mr. Kerr died Thursday in Elmhurst Hospital. Before he retired, he was a buyer for the Abercrombie & Fitch department store in Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; a daughter, Barbara Krueger; a son, James; two brothers, Blaine and Richard; two sisters, Jean Steuber and Joan Sullivan; and two grandchildren.

Vernon Hills police charged a 20-year-old employee of Abercrombie & Fitch in Hawthorn Center with retail theft for allegedly stealing more than $500 from the register over an unspecified period of time. According to reports, Robert J. Cullen, of 1255 N. Cleaver St., Chicago, wrote phony refunds on men's clothing and took the refund money from the register. A corporate investigator's work led to Cullen's arrest on April 9.

The store manager at Abercrombie & Fitch in the Woodfield Shopping Center reported to police Tuesday that 60 pairs of women's hiking shorts had been stolen off of a rack near the store's entrance sometime during the day, police said. According to police reports, no employees saw anyone steal the shorts. Police are still investigating the theft. The shorts have a total value of $2,400.

Abercrombie & Fitch is poking fun at West Virginia again, with a T-shirt reading: "West Virginia: No Lifeguard at the Gene Pool." Gov. Bob Wise called the slogan cruel and plans to fight back. The New Albany, Ohio-based retailer has defended its shirt slogans--including "It's All Relative in West Virginia"--as lighthearted humor. ---------- Compiled from news services and edited by Tran Ha (tha@tribune.com) and Victoria Rodriguez (vrodriguez@tribune.com)